Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Vernichtungslager” come from?

Vernichtungslager (German) comes from German Vernichtung, from German vernichten, from Middle High German vernihten, from Middle High German nihten, from Middle High German niht, from Old High German niwiht, from Old High German nio, from Old High German io — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.

Vernichtungslager (German): death camp, extermination camp

Definitions

  1. death camp, extermination camp

Ancestry of “Vernichtungslager”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanVernichtungdestruction; annihilation, extinction
2Germanvernichtento destroy; to ruin; to wreck; to annihilate; to...
3Middle High Germanvernihten—
4Middle High Germannihten—
5Middle High Germannihtnot
6Old High Germanniwiht—
7Old High Germannionever
8Old High Germanioalways
9Proto-West Germanicaiwlong time, age, eternity; law
10Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- →